'Govt Considering Moving Bengaluru Cricket Stadium To New Location': Siddaramaiah After Stampede
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The stampede outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium killed 11 people, while also leaving several people injured on June 4.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that the government is considering relocating the cricket stadium to a new place to prevent any mishap in the future.
This comes after 11 people were killed in a stampede that occurred outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) victory in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
Siddaramaiah On Shifting Cricket Stadium
Siddaramaiah said that the government is contemplating long-term solutions, as part of which the stadium could be shifted to a new location.
'The government will look into shifting the cricket stadium to another location," news agency ANI quoted the Chief Minister as saying.
'Such an unpleasant incident should not happen under any government. Personally, this incident has hurt me and the government. Five police officers have been suspended in this case. The intelligence chief and the chief minister's political secretary have been replaced," he added.
He said that the government has taken the case seriously and has also initiated appropriate action.
Siddaramiah maintained that his government has not done anything wrong in the entire episode that unfolded since June 4.
'This incident is saddening, but no misstep was taken by the administration. Legal action has been taken against those found guilty, so there is no question of embarrassment for the government," he said.
He also responded to the criticism by Opposition BJP and JDS, and said, 'Did the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh resign when people died during the Kumbh Mela? Did the BJP and JDS demand his resignation then?"
Siddaramaiah further said his government had no role in the organisation of the felicitation ceremony of the players on June 4, when the tragic stampede happened.
'The Secretary and Treasurer of the KSCA invited me to the felicitation programme. It's not a function we organised. It's a function they organised, and I was merely invited. They additionally informed me that the Governor was to attend it. Hence, I attended the programme. Apart from that, I am not aware of anything else," he said.
DCP's Letter Surfaces
Despite police warnings about security risks, the Karnataka government held a felicitation event for IPL team Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Vidhana Soudha on June 4.
Earlier that day, DCP MN Karibasvanna had warned the DPAR in writing about security concerns. Vidhana Soudha officials also alerted DPAR chief G Satyavathi about a lack of security staff for the high-profile event.
'The RCB cricket team has a fan following across the country. Organising the event in a hurry on the grand steps of Vidhana Soudha when lakhs of cricket fans will arrive at Vidhana Soudha will lead to problems in security arrangements since there is a shortage of officers/personnel in Vidhana Soudha security division," the letter stated.
First Published:
June 09, 2025, 08:41 IST
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